Assembling Your Weather Station
General Objective: Students will design and construct equipment to make a weather station and
collect weather data for one week.
Specific Objectives: Discover:
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building a rain gauge,
using a thermometer,
constructing a wind vane,
recording daily weather data, and
setting up a weather station.
Time: One hour
Resources needed: 4-H 346, copies of pp 8-9, the attached Weather Instruments worksheet, and
the following resources for constructing the weather station.
Rain Gauge
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Empty tin vegetable can
Hack saw
File
Paint materials
Piece of wood for support
Small ruler
Thermometer
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Any cheap thermometer (non-mercury) can be purchased in stores
or brought in by students.
Wind Vane
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3 foot piece of wood
1.5 foot piece of wood with a slot cut in both ends
Tin can or piece of tin
Tin snips
Drill and drill bit
Nails (small for the tin and large for the wind van pivot point)
Hammer
Activity: Collect the materials or have the students bring in the supplies from home. Divide the
class into three groups and provide the materials listed and a copy (or copies) of the
instructions from 4-H 346.
More? Click on Lesson Plans at: http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/natural_resources/resources.html
Discussion – 5 minutes:
 Before you start, ask the students: What basic items make up a weather station?
 Narrow down their list to the three basic tools used to gather weather information.
 Divide the students into an even number of groups and assign which weather instrument
they will construct.
 Have the students develop and construct the rain gauge and wind vane from the provided
materials and basic instructions. (You may have one of each item constructed or in a
larger class make multiple weather instruments.)
Construction – 15-20 minutes:
 Send the students to their respective projects and circulate among the groups to assist.
 Depending on the development of your students it may be necessary to complete all
sawing and drilling tasks before the students start building.
 Answer questions until projects are completed and then bring the class back together.
 As described in the Weather Manual set up your weather station with the class.
Reference (4-H manual): 4-H Weather Manual, Level 1 (4-H 346), pages 8-9.
Academic Standards :
Page
8
Activity
Assembling
Your Weather
Station
Grade
4th
5th
English
1.3, 1.6, 6.1, 6.2,
6.4, 6.8
1.2, 1.4, 6.1, 6.2,
6.3, 6.6, 6.7
Science
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 6.1
1.1, 1.2, 2.3, 2.7,
5.7, 5.8, 6.1
More? Click on Lesson Plans at: http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/natural_resources/resources.html
Building a Rain Gauge
Instructions: Using the provided materials at your station construct a rain gauge of your own
design.
1. Use the saw to cut off the top of the tin
can.
2. Check for sharp edges and file off any
potential sharp areas.
3. Practice placing the small ruler inside the
gauge to be sure rainfall can be measured.
Materials:
 Empty tin vegetable can
 Hack saw
 File
 Paint materials
 Piece of wood for support
 Small ruler
4. Paint the can inside and out to prevent rust.
5. Attach wood support to rain gauge.
More? Click on Lesson Plans at: http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/natural_resources/resources.html
Building a Wind Vane
Instructions: Using the provided materials at your station construct a wind vane..
1. Fashion an arrow tip and wide tail fin for the
weather vane.
2. Drill a whole in the midpoint of the 1.5 foot
wood piece.
3. Attach your arrow tip and tail fin with the small
nails.
4. Attach the shorter piece of wood to the end of the
long piece of wood so the vane pivots when spun
by hand.
Materials:
 3 foot piece of wood
 1.5 foot piece of wood with
a slot cut in both ends
 Tin can or piece of tin
 Tin snips
 Drill and drill bit
 Nails (small for the tin and
large for the wind van pivot
point)
 Hammer
More? Click on Lesson Plans at: http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/natural_resources/resources.html
Weather Instruments
Instructions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1. Hypothesize what the weather data may be collected over the next two weeks at your weather
station.
2. Did you have any problems constructing your weather instrument?
3. How could you improve on the construction design of another rain gauge or wind vane?
4. Why is it important to keep accurate records with weather equipment?
More? Click on Lesson Plans at: http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/natural_resources/resources.html